Woman arrested twice for adoption fraud, grand theft

A woman who a week ago was arrested on suspicion of adoption fraud and grand theft has been re-arrested by the same detective and accused of committing the same offense on another adoption agency.

By Austin L. MillerStaff writer

A woman who a week ago was arrested on suspicion of adoption fraud and grand theft has been re-arrested by the same detective and accused of committing the same offense on another adoption agency. The woman's sister-in-law also was arrested by the detective and was charged with adoption fraud and grand theft.Deana Marie Day, 33, of Umatilla, was first arrested Feb. 15."She deserves what she gets. She has hurt a lot of families," said Susan Deckrow, director of adoptions with attorney Thomas N. Fischgrund, on Friday.On Tuesday, Deckrow contacted Marion County Sheriff's Office Detective T.J. Watts and told him Day had signed an agreement with her agency on Dec. 5, 2012, to give her child up for adoption. The agreement, Deckrow stated, was that a person accepting living expenses and assistance from a prospective adoptive parent cannot accept the same benefits from another adoptive parent or adoption entity at the same time for the same child. If caught, the agreement states, they will be charged with a felony.Deckrow told the detective that between Dec. 3 and 14, 2012, Day had received $1,400 from their agency.Day, the detective noted, had been given funds from two other adoption agencies during the same time period. One of those agencies worked with the law firm of Hausmann & Hickmann from Palm Beach County. Day received $6,718.52 from the law firm. She also was given $871 from another adoption agency.Day, who has since had her baby, reportedly decided not to go through with the adoption because she said she had already placed one child up for adoption and didn't want to give up another.Watts also learned that Day's sister-in-law, Erica Lynnette Hovis, 33, had been given money by Deckrow.On Dec. 3, 2012, Deckrow said, she met with Hovis at her job in Lady Lake, and Hovis signed an agreement with Deckrow's agency to place her unborn child up for adoption. That agreement stated a birth mother should not accept any money or expenses from any adoption agency if she knew she was not pregnant.Deckrow said Hovis gave her documents confirming her pregnancy. The paperwork was dated Aug. 20, 2012, and was signed by a doctor. Watts was told by Deckrow that Hovis had provided another adoption agency with similar paperwork.Deckrow said her office contacted the center that Hovis claimed confirmed her pregnancy and was told that the document had been forged.Between Dec. 1 and 12, 2012, Hovis received $1,900 from Deckrow for rent, electricity and gas.On Wednesday, Watts saw Hovis in a vehicle with a man who was arrested for driving on a suspended driver's license. Hovis told the detective she has children ages 12 and 13 and cannot get pregnant because of a past medical procedure. She admitted signing the document shown to her by the detective.Hovis said she did it to help her sister-in-law, Day, to pay her bills. Hovis denied providing Deckrow with any paperwork about her pregnancy.Watts obtained a warrant for both women and arrested them Friday afternoon at their residences.Day was out on bond for her arrest on Feb. 15 when she was arrested on Friday. For her actions, a judge has increased her bond to $100,000.Deckrow said she knew Day when Day was 17 and placed her baby up for adoption with their agency. While dealing with Day this time, she said she never recognized her because Day had gotten married and had a different last name. She said during the transaction, neither Day nor her sister-in-law told her they were related. She said she became suspicious because both women were pierced in the same cheek."I trusted her," Deckrow said about Day.Amy Hickman, from Hausmann & Hickman, said, "I'm not happy a birth mother is behind bars, but I'm happy someone who commits a crime is behind bars," adding this type of crime should be prosecuted.Hickman and Deckrow both said they are glad Watts arrested the women because the public needs to know about these types of crimes.Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.